In this episode, Craig sits down with Francois Brill, Head of Product at Castos and longtime design collaborator, for an honest and entertaining conversation about what it really takes to build great-looking products in the age of AI. Using Outlier as a live case study, Francois walks through the marketing site and product UX in real time, calling out the small but costly design mistakes that make AI-built tools look generic. From embarrassing mismatched button styles to cognitive overload on ideation pages, this episode is a must-listen for anyone vibe-coding their next SaaS app and wondering why it just does not feel polished. Highlights from Craig and Francois’ conversation: AI-generated design is the new "tell" that your product was built without a designer Picking one mode, light or dark, is almost always better than trying to do both Rounded inputs paired with square buttons is one of the most common and fixable design mistakes Color should guide user action, not decorate the interface UX is how something works; UI is what it looks like, and they require different thinking Cognitive overload kills conversion, especially on feature-rich pages like ideation tools A Design MD file can teach AI your brand system so every output stays consistent Code is cheap now, so the value has shifted to vision, taste, and design thinking Building fast and iterating beats trying to get it perfect the first time If everyone can prompt the same thing, standing out requires taste and a real system Resources and Links from This Episode: Clearly Design: https://www.clearly.design/  Francois on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fbrill/  Outlier: https://outlier.so/  Castos Free Tools: castos.com/tools Email me: [email protected]  Find me on Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt If you feel like Rogue Startups has benefited you, and it might benefit someone else, please share it with them. If you have a chance, give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes.  Do you have any comments, questions, or topic ideas for future episodes? Feel free to reach out to me: Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt LinkedIn: Craig Hewitt Email: [email protected]

This week on the Rogue Startups, Craig gets roasted. He brought in experienced software engineer Brandon Hancock after building the AI-powered SaaS app Outlier largely through “vibe coding,” so Brandon could audit the entire codebase live during the episode. The result? An honest but useful breakdown of what happens when non-technical founders ship fast with AI tools.  Brandon digs into real security risks, common architecture mistakes, and the best practices every founder should follow when building AI-driven products. If you’re launching SaaS with tools like Next.js, Supabase, and Claude, or simply adding AI features to your existing product, this episode offers practical lessons on building faster without accidentally breaking everything. Check the episode out on YouTube to see Brandon dig through Craig’s code onscreen. Highlights from Craig and Brandon’s conversation: What “vibe coding” looks like when building a real production startup How a single exposed Supabase key can create major security risks Why row-level security is critical for protecting user data Using AI to audit code and uncover vulnerabilities in minutes Simple fixes that dramatically improve SaaS security Why many AI code review tools miss critical issues The danger of exposing backend clients in frontend code How server actions can replace many API endpoints Best practices for managing database migrations with Drizzle ORM Why staging environments save founders from catastrophic production mistakes The difference between moving fast and building responsibly How to structure AI documentation for better development workflows Using task templates to teach AI your coding standards Practical lessons for founders building SaaS products with AI tools Resources and Links from This Episode Shipkit.ai: https://www.shipkit.ai/  Brandon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-hancock-ai  Brandon’s website: https://brandonhancock.io/  Brandon on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@aiwithbrandon  Rogue Startups on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@roguestartups  Castos Free Tools: castos.com/tools Email me: [email protected]  Find me on Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt If you feel like Rogue Startups has benefited you, and it might benefit someone else, please share it with them. If you have a chance, give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes.  Do you have any comments, questions, or topic ideas for future episodes? Feel free to reach out to me: T...

In this episode of Rogue Startups, Craig sits down with Jesse Hanley, founder of Bento, for a wide-ranging conversation about building and growing SaaS businesses in the age of AI. From vibe coding and AI-assisted development workflows to product strategy, business ceilings, and the existential shifts happening across the tech landscape, Jesse and Sandy share candid insights from their own experiences as founders navigating a rapidly changing environment. If you're a bootstrapped founder, indie hacker, or SaaS entrepreneur trying to figure out how to stay relevant and move fast, this one's for you. Highlights from Craig and Jesse’s conversation: Testing and QA are still the unglamorous bottleneck nobody talks about enough The founders who stay close to the code sleep better at night Opus 4.5 in Cursor is the closest thing to having a full dev team on speed dial Build your foundation like a brick house, and everything else can be Play-Doh™ AI is making founders fall back in love with parts of their business they used to dread Shopify can now build custom apps on demand, and that should make plugin developers nervous If your whole product is basically one feature, it might be time to rethink things Sometimes the ceiling you're hitting is the category, not your effort The best side projects either pay for themselves immediately or swing for the fences Building through AI disruption takes the same stubborn optimism it took to survive COVID Resources and Links from This Episode Jesse Hanley: https://jessehanley.com/  Connect with Jesse on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessehanley/  Bento:  https://bentonow.com/  Castos Free Tools: castos.com/tools Email me: [email protected]  Find me on Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt If you feel like Rogue Startups has benefited you, and it might benefit someone else, please share it with them. If you have a chance, give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes.  Do you have any comments, questions, or topic ideas for future episodes? Feel free to reach out to me: Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt LinkedIn: Craig Hewitt Email: [email protected]

What does it mean to be a SaaS founder in a world where AI can build features faster than we ever could?  In this conversation, Craig sits down with Arvid Kahl to unpack the shifting reality of software, competition, and the craft of SaaS in 2026. They talk about code velocity, discernment, marketing in an AI-saturated world, and why SaaS is not dead, even as the software part becomes commoditized. Listen in to find out what actually matters these days, if you want to build something that lasts. Highlights from Craig and Arvid’s conversation: AI is shifting the founder’s role from building to judging quality and making decisions Code velocity now matters more than perfect architecture for most SaaS products Replacing junior developers entirely with AI risks creating a future talent gap Your real competition increasingly includes general AI tools, not just other SaaS companies AI has leveled the marketing baseline, making differentiation and brand more important than ever Standing out requires taste, point of view, and clear positioning, not just tactics Acquiring legacy SaaS and refactoring with AI could be a major opportunity The service part of SaaS still matters most, because AI generates products but not businesses Resources and Links from This Episode Podscan: https://podscan.fm/  Castos Free Tools: castos.com/tools Email me: [email protected]  Find me on Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt If you feel like Rogue Startups has benefited you and it might benefit someone else, please share it with them. If you have a chance, give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes.  Do you have any comments, questions, or topic ideas for future episodes? Feel free to reach out to me: Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt LinkedIn: Craig Hewitt Email: [email protected]

Craig is back! Today, he welcomes fellow podcaster Colin Gray back to the podcast. They dive into the ever-evolving world of podcasting, reflecting on how much the landscape has shifted over the last decade and what people are craving now more than ever: genuine human connection. From the tug-of-war between YouTube and podcast growth, to what it really means to build an AI-first product, they explore the trends shaping creators, customers, and the platforms that connect them. Highlights from Craig and Colin’s conversation: How podcasting has changed over the last 10 years  The more we’re pulled toward AI, the more we crave genuine connection Is it easier to grow a YouTube channel or a podcast? Content integration and becoming a centralized hub Spotify’s role in the evolution of podcasting Monetization: ads, donations, subscriptions, and more Balancing and prioritizing feature requests How AI is shaping customer expectations How to make your product AI-first Resources and Links from This Episode: The Podcast Host: https://www.thepodcasthost.com/  Colin on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/colinmcgray?originalSubdomain=uk  beehiiv: https://www.beehiiv.com/  Kit: https://kit.com/ Creator Hooks: https://creatorhooks.com/  Castos Free Tools: castos.com/tools Email me: [email protected] Find me on Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt If you feel like Rogue Startups has benefited you, and it might benefit someone else, please share it with them. If you have a chance, give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes.  Do you have any comments, questions, or topic ideas for future episodes? Feel free to reach out to me: Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt LinkedIn: Craig Hewitt Email: [email protected]

In today’s episode, Craig sits down with SaaS founder and entrepreneur Brian Casel to talk about the future of software and AI. With years of experience building and growing SaaS companies, Brian shares his perspective on how artificial intelligence is reshaping the industry, from launching in niche markets and creating content that resonates to the challenges SaaS businesses will face in the next few years. They also dive into YouTube growth strategies, monetizing AI tools, and whether today’s AI boom is a lasting shift or just another bubble. Highlights from Craig and Brian’s conversation: Craig’s 100 Days of AI Challenge Growing with content: from weekly AI newsletters to scaling YouTube channels Brian’s current projects – Agent OS, Builder Methods, and the difference between live workshops and online courses How to monetize AI tools and content in today’s market The power of the B2B super niche and what it takes to launch a new SaaS business in 2025 AI challenges for SaaS companies over the next few years Behind the scenes of Craig and Brian’s YouTube workflows How to choose the right content for your audience (and avoid wasting time creating the wrong stuff) Where is AI headed? Is this just a bubble, or real long-term change? Will artificial intelligence replace artists, musicians, painters, and writers? Resources and Links from This Episode: Brian Casel: https://briancasel.com/ Builder Methods: https://buildermethods.com/    Brian on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@briancasel    Find me on Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt If you feel like Rogue Startups has benefited you and it might benefit someone else, please share it with them. If you have a chance, give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes.  Do you have any comments, questions, or topic ideas for future episodes? Feel free to reach out to me: Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt LinkedIn: Craig Hewitt

Ross Simmonds, founder of Foundation Marketing, has built a reputation for helping ambitious SaaS and B2B brands stand out online with data-driven growth strategies. In this episode, Craig sits down with Ross to dive into the future of marketing, SaaS growth, and social media in the age of AI. Marketing has transformed dramatically over the past decade, and with the rise of AI-powered marketing methods, it feels like the Wild Wild West. But within all that chaos are opportunities that we shouldn’t miss out on.. Ross and Craig explore how founders and marketers can leverage AI to create content, reach the right audience, and scale profitably in today’s fast-changing landscape. Highlights from Craig and Ross’s conversation: Why traditional B2B marketing tactics are failing and what actually drives SaaS growth in 2025 Create exclusive, high-value content that your target market can't find anywhere else AI marketing parallels the mobile revolution  We're only at the beginning of the AI marketing cycle, and why the long game matters  Which social media platforms actually work for B2B in today's landscape Every platform has your audience, but no one's cracked the code Monetize your existing high-performing pages and don't abandon what's already working Search behavior has evolved beyond Google  Stop ignoring Reddit for B2B marketing Elevenlabs and Manus case studies. Plus, why Google will dominate long-term AI marketing Resources and Links from This Episode: Ross Simmonds on X (Twitter): https://x.com/TheCoolestCool  Ross Simmonds on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosssimmonds/  Foundation Marketing: https://foundationinc.co/  Ross Simmonds online: https://rosssimmonds.com/  Email me: [email protected]  Find me on Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt

Today on the podcast, Craig sits down with Reddit marketing expert Paul Xue to explore how brands can tap into one of the internet’s most engaged and skeptical communities. Reddit can be a tough nut to crack, but when approached with authenticity and a strategic approach, it can become a powerful driver of trust, visibility, and growth. Paul, founder of his own marketing company specializing in Reddit campaigns, breaks down the principles, tactics, and future trends you need to know. Whether you’re curious about launching your first campaign or wondering if Reddit should be part of your overall growth strategy, this episode is packed with practical insights, not to mention a few insightful predictions on the future. Highlights from Craig and Paul’s conversation The fundamentals of Reddit marketing: why content and value must come before sales. How authentic reviews and real conversations build credibility with both competitors and customers. Proven strategies to run successful Reddit campaigns without getting downvoted. Ways to make your brand stand out in Reddit’s crowded, skeptical landscape. The future of AI models and how they’ll shape online marketing. Big-picture insights on AI, robotics, and what a fully autonomous future could look like. Resources and Links from This Episode Paul’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pxue/ Paul on X (Twitter): https://x.com/pxue?lang=en Castos Free Tools: com/tools Email me: [email protected] Find me on Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt If you feel like Rogue Startups has benefited you and it might benefit someone else, please share it with them. If you have a chance, give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes. Do you have any comments, questions, or topic ideas for future episodes? Feel free to reach out to me: Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt LinkedIn: Craig Hewitt Email: [email protected] #AI #marketing #reddit

Startup marketing can feel like a maze, right? In this episode of Rogue Startups, Craig chats with  Brendan Hufford of Growth Sprints about how to cut through the noise and actually connect with your audience. They dig into everything from creating raw, authentic content to dialing in your SEO strategies and uncovering your brand’s real voice. If you’ve ever felt a little lost with your marketing (or just want some fresh ideas to make your plan actually work), this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss. Highlights from Craig and Brendan Hufford’s conversation: AI in SEO: how artificial intelligence is reshaping the digital marketing landscape Why old methods don’t work anymore—and the mindset shift needed to move forward Building new skill sets: why continuous learning is essential for marketers and founders Staying ahead of the curve with new tech, trends, and tools How entrepreneurs can use AI to market their businesses more effectively Content atomization and distribution: breaking big ideas into bite-sized content across multiple channels Maximizing social platforms like Instagram, Twitter (X), and more “Zero-click content”: how to thrive on platforms that discourage external links Optimizing for virtual retargeting and platform-native algorithms Overcoming the “trust recession” and rebuilding credibility with your audience Turning one-star reviews into marketing gold Creating a gravitational pull that draws customers toward your brand and story The power of self-perpetuating content that continues to work for you over time Why founders shouldn’t try to do everything alone—and how to delegate effectively Finding your authentic founder’s voice and building trust through genuine content Resources and Links from This Episode Brendan Hufford on LinkedIn: com/in/brendanhufford Growth Sprints: https://growthsprints.co/ Email me: [email protected] Find me on Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt If you feel like Rogue Startups has benefited you, and it might benefit someone else, please share it with them. If you have a chance, give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes. Do you have any comments, questions, or topic ideas for future episodes? Feel free to reach out to me: Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt LinkedIn: Craig Hewitt Email: [email protected]

Today on Rogue Startups, Craig sits with Devesh Khanal from Grow and Convert to talk about how to get your brand showing up at the top of search results in LLMs. They dive deep into the world of AI SEO—covering everything from debunking myths about large language models to sharing actionable strategies for ranking your content in both Google and AI-driven search tools. Devesh is the “convert” side of Grow and Convert. In addition to co-founding the company, he runs Growth Rock, a conversion optimization agency that helps e-commerce brands increase online sales through user research, usability testing, analytics evaluations, and A/B testing. Before launching into the marketing world, Devesh worked on financial strategy and cost modeling for a biofuels startup—and he also holds a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from U.C. Berkeley. Highlights from Craig and Devesh’s conversation: Bottom-of-funnel SEO vs. top-of-funnel queries How to use LLMs as a marketing tool Debunking common myths about LLMs in SEO Does community content promotion (like Reddit) actually work? The correlation between Google rankings and LLM results Identifying customer pain points and achieving product–market fit Why to avoid “fluff” writers and generic AI writing tools Resources and Links from This Episode: Devesh Khanal on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deveshkhanal/  Grow and Convert: https://www.growandconvert.com/  Email me: [email protected]  Find me on Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt If you feel like Rogue Startups has benefited you, and it might benefit someone else, please share it with them. If you have a chance, give Rogue Startups a review on iTunes.  Do you have any comments, questions, or topic ideas for future episodes? Feel free to reach out to me: Twitter: @TheCraigHewitt LinkedIn: